Disclaimer:

I’m not some shredded 6% bodyfat bodybuilder/fitness coach/greek god who can bench press all of New Zealand and knows all the secrets to shedding weight and staying lean.

I’m basically an average guy who’s sick of suffering every time I want to shed some weight. I spent the last 3 months trying to figure out how I can be in a deficit WITHOUT BEING HUNGRY.

I finally figured out how and have been studying/practicing what's in this post for the past 4 weeks, steadily losing about a half kilogram a week AND NOT FEELING HUNGRY WHILE ALSO NOT COUNTING CALORIES. So, I know it works.


Table of Contents:

  1. Introduction
  • What You're Doing Wrong
  • A Vivid Example
  • What Makes You Full
  • High Water Foods
  • High Fiber Foods
  • High Bulk / Volume Foods
  • The Golden Rule of Feeling Full Despite A Deficit
  • Holy Trinity of Low-Calorie Foods That Will Make You Feel Full
  • Drink. More. Water.
  • Conclusion

Further Reading:


Introduction:

Here’s the problem:

You want to lose some weight. Let’s say you want to lose 10 kilograms / 20 pounds. So, you pay a visit to the almighty Google and see the sage wisdom of millions of keyboard warriors and roided influencers before you proclaiming the gospel of “Calories In vs Calories Out”.

Then, at the slightest challenge, one of three things happens:

  1. You activate their hidden Neil deGrasse Tyson trap card and watch your patience disappear under “According to the First Law of Thermodynamics…”
  2. They try to recruit you into their Cult of Keto with the promise of abs while eating all the bacon and steak you want
  3. You are accused of being defective human being who can’t figure this out despite the tidal wave of nebulous, contradictory and outright predatory false advice being thrown all over the internet

And here’s the thing nobody wants to talk to you about: Despite your best attempts to be in a caloric deficit, you eventually start feeling hungry ALL. THE DAMN. TIME.

And when you are hungry long enough, everybody’s willpower breaks.

Yet hardly anybody is talking about what to do about THAT problem. The only person I've seen plainly mention this is Greg Doucette on YouTube, but everyone's favourite doctor (after Johnny Sins of course) would rather sell you a $100 cookbook with recipes that promise to fix it rather than give you this information to do it yourself.


What You're Doing Wrong:

You made one of the classic blunders: you were so busy weighing your food and counting calories… that you forgot to weigh your food and count calories.

Let me explain.

Our bodyweight is a factor of how many calories we eat. There is no dispute about this from anyone who knows anything about nutrition. Fine.

But what about our hunger?

Yeah, I had no fucking clue either. And anybody who does will throw around words like leptin or ghrelin but fail to realize it doesn't answer the question in any way that matters.

Here's the truth: Our hunger is a factor of how much food is in our stomach.

Note I didn’t say calories. I said FOOD.

REGARDLESS OF CALORIES, we eat 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms / 3 to 5 pounds of food per day.

That is very important that you should read it again.

REGARDLESS OF CALORIES, we eat 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms / 3 to 5 pounds of food per day.

And again.

REGARDLESS OF CALORIES, we eat 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms / 3 to 5 pounds of food per day.

And again.


REGARDLESS OF CALORIES, we eat 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms / 3 to 5 pounds of food per day.


On the upper end of that, you get nauseous and want to throw up. On the lower end of that, you get hungry and want to binge eat. This is when those big words of leptin and ghrelin kick in to make you want to eat a cow. Somewhere in the middle – past a minimum calorie threshold – you are perfectly satisfied regardless of how many calories that is.

Disagree?


A Vivid Example:

Let’s say you are following a meal plan and have one meal left in the day. This meal has to be 300 calories to maintain your deficit. To have 300 calories, your options are:

  • You can have 5 chicken nuggets or nearly 1.5kg / 3lb of lettuce salad
  • You can have half a chocolate bar or 2 bowls of oatmeal
  • You can have one serving of fries vs 2 and a half cups of cooked rice

Which one do you think will make you feel more full? Which one do you think will make it easier to maintain a deficit on?

Forget all you've heard about smaller portion sizes, using smaller plates, avoiding carbs, intermittent fasting, sacrificing virgins at the alter of Cthulu, whatever. Forget all of it.

Don’t think about calories. Think about calorie density, as in how many calories there are per kilo / pound of food.

No, screw that. Let’s take all terminology out of it. Think about this: What kinds of foods will make me feel full?


What Kinds of Foods Will Make You Feel Full?

Foods that will make you feel full (with less calories) tend to have 3 qualities:

  • High Water Content
  • High Fibre Content
  • High Bulk/Volume

Foods that will make you fat well before you feel full tend to have some combination of 4 qualities:

  • High Fat Content
  • High Sugar Content (and I'd argue High Salt / Sodium Content as well)
  • Refined / Processed Carbs
  • Low Bulk/Volume

To clarify, refined / processed carbs is basically any carb with a nutrition label and/or doesn't look like anything that would grow in the ground and/or would outlive a cancer patient.

If you’re reading this, I’m pretty sure you already have a grasp of what things are in the latter category. What you probably don't know are things that are in the former category.


High Water Foods:

Water as a percentage of weight, from highest to lowest:

  1. Cucumber (96%)
  2. Lettuce (96%)
  3. Tomatoes (95%)
  4. Celery (95%)
  5. Radishes (95%)
  6. Zucchini (94%)
  7. Spinach (93%)
  8. Eggplant (92%)
  9. Mushrooms (92%)
  10. Bell Peppers (92%)
  11. Cauliflower (92%)
  12. Cabbage (92%)
  13. Watermelon (91%)
  14. Strawberries (91%)
  15. Broccoli (90%)
  16. Cantaloupe (90%)
  17. Peaches (89%)
  18. Brussel Sprouts (88%)
  19. Plain Yogurt (88%)
  20. Grapefruit (88%)
  21. Oranges (86%)
  22. Apples (85%)
  23. Raspberries (85%)
  24. Blueberries (84%)
  25. Kiwi (83%)
  26. Mangos (81%)
  27. Grapes (80%)

Sources:

https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/ten-water-rich-foods-hydration

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/19-hydrating-foods

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/jenessa/most-hydrating-foods


High Fiber Foods:

Fiber as a percentage of weight, from highest to lowest:

  1. Chia Seeds (34.4%)
  2. Pumpkin Seeds (18.4%)
  3. Popcorn (14.5%)
  4. Almonds (12.5%)
  5. Dark Chocolate (10.9%)
  6. Oats (10.6%)
  7. Black Beans (8.7%)
  8. Artichoke (8.6%)
  9. Split Peas (8.3%)
  10. Lentils (7.9%)
  11. Chickpeas (7.6%)
  12. Avocado (6.7%)
  13. Raspberries (6.5%)
  14. Kidney Beans (6.4%)
  15. Blackberries (5.3%)
  16. Lima Beans (5.3%)
  17. Edamame (5.2%)
  18. Kale (3.6%)
  19. Pears (3.1%)
  20. Bananas (2.6%)
  21. Quinoa (2.8%)
  22. Carrots (2.8%)
  23. Beets (2.8%)
  24. Broccoli (2.6%)
  25. Brussels Sprouts (2.6%)
  26. Apples (2.4%)
  27. Blueberries (2.4%)
  28. Spinach (2.2%)
  29. Strawberries (2%)
  30. Tomatoes (1.2%)

Note that most vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds are high in fiber.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods


High Bulk / Volume Foods:

You’ll notice that most of the foods in the above two lists are vegetables and fruits. In general, vegetables average out to about 250 calories per kilo / 100 calories per pound. Fruits average out to 500 calories per kilo / 250 calories per pound.

So, you could fill HALF your stomach with only veggies for 200-ish calories and only fruit for 500-ish calories. More on this later.

But not all of the foods listed above are fruits and vegetables.

One exception are legumes and a whole grain (oats). These are considered “dry goods” and have to be prepared by soaking and/or boiling in water before eating. What does that do? It adds water to it. More water equals more food weight and a lower calorie density.

In other words, they fill you up because you boiled/soaked them in water.

By extension, other foods such as rice and pasta (ideally brown/whole) which are prepared by boiling are also fine. Not great, but fine. Certainly much better than fries and white bread.

Another exception on the lists are nuts and seeds. This is where we need to be careful. Nuts and seeds are not very big and are (edible while) very dry. As you can probably guess from their lack of volume and water, they aren’t light on calories.

When it comes to nuts and seeds, 50% to 85% of its weight is in fats. So, be mindful.

Topping your food with a small handful of nuts and seeds? Fine.

Snacking on a whole bag of 'em? You can inhale 1,000 calories without even realizing it.


The Golden Rule of Feeling Full On A Calorie Deficit:

Here’s an average of calories per unit of weight for various food groups.

 

Food Group Calories/Kilogram Calories/Pound
Vegetables 250 100
Fruits 500 250
Unrefined Carbs 1,000 500
Legumes 1,200 600
Fatty Protein 2,000 1,000
Refined Carbs 2,800 1,400
Junk Food 4,600 2,300
Nuts/Seeds 5,600 2,800
Oil/Fat 8,000 4,000

 

This isn’t to tell you what to eat and what not to eat. Although it certainly won't hurt to move more of your food intake up the ladder, I'm more interested in giving you a dead simple principle.

This is to tell you the golden rule of feeling full on whatever it is you are eating.

Here it is:

Before any meal, have a serving of vegetables and fruits (as close as possible to how they grew from the ground).

That’s it.

That's all.

Remember what you last tried eating to lose weight? The one where you did all the math about calories and macros? The one you actually followed for 2-4 weeks before you went rabid and binged on everything?

Do it again. Except this time, have a big bowl of vegetables and fruits (more often veggies than fruit) before each meal.

Sure, you’ll reduce your deficit and maybe you’ll have to make up for it through some more cardio. But here’s the thing: you won’t be hungry.


Holy Trinity of Low-Calorie Foods That Will Make You Feel Full:

If you’re ever at a loss of what to eat before a meal, remember one of these 3 things:

  • Oatmeal
  • Vegetable Soup
  • Salad

I’ll give you very basic recipes for them. Each recipe will have 4 things:

  • Bulk options to help you feel fuller,
  • Flavouring options to help you actually like it,
  • Calorie options if you want to make these a full meal rather than a pre-meal, and
  • Protein options to help support your protein requirements.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is cheap, quick and can be made with literally anything that can heat water. It is here because it scores absurdly high in convenience, availability and affordability that there are no valid excuses to NOT eat this on a weight loss journey.

Ingredients: Oats.

Instructions:

  1. Measure your oatmeal.
  2. Put twice the amount of water in a pot. Bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to low. Add oatmeal.
  4. Stir frequently, until it thickens and absorbs all the water.

Bulk options: Cucumber, zucchini, banana, berries, (frozen) raisins. Brown / whole wheat bread as a side dish.

Flavouring options: (brown) sugar, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, milk.

Calorie options: Nuts and seeds of your choice. Peanut butter is an easy one.

Protein options: Add protein powder.

Vegetable Soup

Know why it’s so filling? Because it is basically flavored, nutritionally enriched water with chewy bits in it.

This earns second place in the Holy Trinity list. It takes a bit more time, needs a kitchen to make, a fridge to store, and can be pricey depending on the time of year / your geographical location. But the fact you can make two, three, five different soups in a weekend and have them for two months evens it out.

Ingredients: Onions. Carrots. Chicken/vegetable stock, if you have it. Powdered soup packets and water, if you don’t. Any vegetable you want.

Instructions:

  1. On a large pot, add a tablespoon of oil on medium high heat.
  2. Sautée the onions and carrots with a tablespoon or two of oil, adding a big three-finger pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Once the onions are translucent, add your liquid.
  4. Dump all your vegetables in the pot. Make sure the liquid covers your vegetables.
  5. Once it starts simmering, turn the heat low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Bulk options: Eggplant, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and any (soaked/cooked) legumes in the soup. Brown/whole wheat bread as a side dish.

Flavoring options: Garlic and/or leeks (when sautéing onions & carrots), curry powder, chili powder, rosemary, lemon/vinegar, powdered soup packets, etc. Soups are VERY forgiving in what you can flavor them with.

Calorie options: Pasta (can be boiled in the soup for flavour), sesame/chili oil, and fatty meats. Spreading butter on the bread you’ll eat with it.

Protein options: Shredded chicken/pork. Poaching an egg in the soup.

NB: Do not blend it. Eat it chunky. The sole act of chewing it instead of drinking it makes it more filling, despite the same exact calorie count.

Salad

First off, if the very idea of eating a salad is an attack on your manhood, get over your malnutritioned machismo.

Second, I’m honestly torn on whether this should have made the holy trinity above the honorable mention below. It’s filling, a fantastic source of nutrients, and has the effect of making you more conscious of your health choices which can spill over into other aspects of your life.

But it heavily relies on easy access to fresh ingredients and doesn’t store well. So, it can be pretty hit-and-miss for some. Anyway, here it is.

Ingredients:

  • Something green: lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage
  • Something sweet: fruit, sweet potato, cherry tomatoes
  • Something crunchy: carrots, apples, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower
  • Something creamy: yogurt, cheese, avocado
  • Dressing: Get a jar. Add 3 parts oil (olive, avocado, sunflower, etc.) and 1 part acid (any vinegar, any juice from a citrus fruit). Shake vigorously

Bulk options: This is as bulky as it gets. Just have more salad.

Flavour options: In the dressing, you can add salt, pepper, chili, dried herbs, yogurt, mustard, etc. In the salad, you can switch up any of the ingredients.

Calorie options: Eat anything afterwards.

Protein options: Shredded/diced chicken. Scrambled eggs.

NB: Don’t go crazy with the dressing as that can easily be 80-100 calories per tablespoon and you can’t get full on dressing. But don’t be afraid of it either. Some nutrients are fat-soluble meaning our body cannot absorb it without the use of fats.

Honorable Mention: Fruit

This is what I was torn about against salads. I really love fruits because they are nature’s gift to anyone with a sweet tooth.

Some excellent low-calorie options are:

Fruit 100 Calories
Watermelon 350g
Strawberry 294g
Cantaloupe 268g
Peaches 245g
Blackberries 232g
Pineapple 224g
Plums 215g
Oranges 192g
Raspberries 190g
Apples 186g
Blueberries 174g
Pears 166g
Kiwis 164g
Cherries 140g
Grapes 140g
Bananas 114g

Source:

http://archive.is/IlXD5

Remember your 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms / 3 to 5 pounds of food per day? If you were to fill up on nothing but fruit (not recommended, just making a point), that would be 400 – 700 calories in watermelon, 700 – 1,300 calories in oranges and 1,300 – 2,200 calories in bananas.

Honorable Mention: HOME-MADE Popcorn

If you HAVE to snack, this is what to snack on.

An excellent low-calorie, very high-fibre option that is very difficult to eat too quickly (meaning your brain has time to register how much you're eating and telling you you're not hungry anymore). The only thing is it can come loaded with butter, excess salt, sugar, chocolate, etc.

Best to make this at home.

Instructions:

Bulk options: This is as bulky as it gets. A 1/2 cup of kernels gets you a large bowl.

Flavour options: Nutritional yeast, salt, cinammon, vinegar/lemon(?), other.

Calorie options: Eat anything afterwards.

Protein options: Eat anything afterwards.


Drink. More. Water.

Have a desk job? Put a big bottle of water on your table and sip all of it throughout the day.

Can't have a Holy Trinity pre-meal? Drink two glasses of water.

Can't have a Holy Trinity pre-meal and you're about to have a cheat meal? Drink THREE glasses of water.

If you're drinking something that isn't water, drink a glass of water after.

If you drink soda or alcohol, replace it with water. Then drink another glass of water after.

Feeling bored? Drink a glass of water.

Opened your fridge looking for something to eat? Drink a glass of water.

Most of the time, you are not hungry. You are bored and/or dehydrated. DRINK. MORE. WATER.

It is easily one of the smallest things you can do with the biggest impact on your health:

  • Boosts energy levels
  • Improves mood
  • Aids circulation
  • Aids muscle recovery
  • Prevents constipation
  • Lubricates and cushions your tissues, joints and spinal cord
  • Hydrates your skin
  • Prevents illness
  • Aids digestion (yes, even during and after a meal)
  • Sobers you up / prevents hangovers

Until about 1-2 hours before you go to sleep (unless you don't mind waking up at night to pee), drink lots of water.

–––

Conclusion:

I hope this information will be helpful. I'm open to hear all your thoughts on this.